On a tour of the alleyways of Chinatown last week I learned something that I hadn’t heard before — namely, that the world-famous Chinese fortune cookie was invented right here in San Francisco.

That’s right — the fortune cookie is just about as Chinese as french toast is French. Which is to say, not at all.

Our young guide gave us the outlines of a history that is apparently well known around here, but something told me that it could bear a little further investigation — so I began to dig. it wasn’t long before I’d uncovered a number of competing claims, with contradictory connections to Japan, China, Los Angeles and of course, to San Francisco. Though a definitive answer remains elusive, have a listen and draw your own conclusions.

4 responses to “#46: San Francisco Fortune Cookie”

I remember my mother telling me how it was invented here, since she lived in Chinatown, and how it was never actually Chinese. She told me the San Francisco version, and it’s interesting to hear another point of view. Good job!
~Katie